Equals
by apples-a-day
Summary: FTL AU: Emma has only ever known her life as a servant, working to provide for the rich and powerful. Her new assignment is at the Evil Queen's castle, as her handmaiden. Now all she has to do is make sure not to anger the Steward, and try not to fall for the Queen. Part 1 of a Trilogy. SQ
1. New Job

**Hello!**

**So here is the deal. This is going to be an AU. It's going to be veeery long. I don't know how long, but I plan to split it into a trilogy, to give you an idea. It will be exploring Emma's situation, and her eventual relationship with Regina. More details will become apparent as the story progresses, and things will begin to make themselves clearer.**

**I have a plot sketched out, and details largely decided. As we are going to be in the Enchanted Forest, I'm trying to do my research on roles in Medieval castles and whatnot.**

**Unfortunately for my research, depending on the website you choose to peruse, you'll get a different name for a role/job at the time. If, for whatever reason, you see me putting a wrong name to a role, you're more than welcome to correct me on it.**

**Without further ado, let's get this story started!**

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><p>Emma awoke with a loud clanging by the middle of the communal bedrooms.<p>

"Up and at'em you lazy fucks," Richard sneered, banging a piece of metal pipe against the ancient heater in the middle of the room that barely worked on a good day, less so after being constantly used as an alarm bell.

She quickly got up, bare feet touching the cool stone floor as she hastened to stand at the foot of her bed, hiding the sharp hiss and shudder at the cool air nipping at her exposed skin around her camisole. Along with 19 others, Emma stood still, hands clasped in front of her, staring down at the ground in deference.

There were 10 pairs of beds along the long room, with a chest at the foot of each bed containing the meagre clothes and belongings of each servant, while a rickety bedside table to the left of each bed held a small drawer for more valuable possessions. But everyone knew to not really keep anything of true value in those drawers. For officers like Richard pilfered the drawers for trinkets of interest to them and took whatever caught their fancy, never to return them. Should someone be stupid enough to question any of them, well, the answer was always a hellhole of an outhouse which would become their new home for the next week.

But of course, something had to be kept in the drawers, lest someone wished to be accused of hiding something of extreme value, which would lead to a ransacking of the chest, as well as a stay in the outhouse.

Richard started pacing the middle of the room. "Good. Now, I have your new schedules. Some of you lucky folks will get to spend more time here. You might be wondering why you're in luck. 6 of you have been chosen to work for the Evil Queen. You all know I don't give a hoot about any of you sorry sacks, but may the gods have mercy on you if you are chosen. Once your name is called, gather your belongings and report to the stables. If by the end of the hour you're not there, you will be running after the cart. Clear?"

A clear chorus of "Yes, Sir," greeted him. He huffed self-importantly and began calling out the names on his parchment. "Alright: Ace, Drune, Fa, Swan, Vortell, and West. Make sure to let me know when the funeral is."

No one looked up at him, for they were not allowed, but they could just imagine his smug smirk. The Dark Kingdom of the Evil Queen was well-known to everyone. There were stories and tales about all the evil and darkness within it, but what was rumour and what was fact, no one knew. Although the kingdom was prosperous, many doubted that they could actually venture and live in such a kingdom, under the rule of someone like the infamous Evil Queen.

The 25-year old opened her chest, where everything was already packed into her rucksack, since she was never one to settle down and take her stuff out, considering she was constantly moving. She went to her bedside table, and took out a book and a small journal. She stuffed it all inside the bag before heading to the side rooms, where she could change away from the men and boys.

Emma removed her camisole and quickly put on her breeches, letting out a small shudder as the cool material acclimated to her skin, her skin still warm from being under the covers. Despite their ratty condition, the bed blankets were quite warm, one of the few things that could be almost considered luxurious while living here. She found her green wool shirt in her bag and donned it, feeling warmer as she adjusted the sleeves. She hoped she'd be able to buy some new clothes soon, the shirt had shrunk to the point where the sleeves ended halfway down her forearm. And this was the longest and warmest shirt she had. Pulling her hair free of its confines under the shirt, she sat on the bench and fished for her socks.

The door opened and Fa Mulan entered. They said nothing, but greeted each other with a nod.

She found her socks and put them on, sticking the wool material through the manacles on her feet. Apart from being a way to ensure no one would run away - fast movement was impossible with heavy iron weighing their feet down - it was a symbol of being owned by Silas, the great servant trader throughout the Enchanted Forest. Emma had heard stories that others told her,of how there were other masters much less kinder than Silas. She had to count her blessings that she got a bed and a roof each time her contract was up.

Once she was done, she gathered her things, put on her black riding boots, and left the room. Everyone was silent, servants weren't there to speak, except late at night after their chores were done and they were released and sent to sleep. Conversations were at the cost of their sleeping time, for every morning at 6am, they had to get up and be ready for the day ahead. Days like today, Sunday, were the only days they were allowed to sleep in, unless they were woken up for some reason or another. Rare were the days they actually got to sleep in.

Reaching the stables, she saw that the ride would not be comfortable. The cart had no roof, and the wheels were made of wood, meaning that it'd be a bumpy ride, and it was chilly as well, even though it was only early September.

She made her way to the cart, and to the two guards chatting. "Name?" one asked as she made her way closer.

"Emma Swan," she replied simply.

After checking a list, her jerked his thumb into the cart. "Go ahead. Put your bag by your feet and scoot right to the front."

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><p>One hour later and nearly everyone was there. The only person they were missing was Sigmund Vortell. When he finally showed up, he ran towards the cart. Once they processed him, they grabbed some rope, and tied his hands together. With the other end of the rope, the guards tied it to a metal ring on the back of the cart. For being late, Sigmund would have to travel running after the cart.<p>

They'd all been there once, and knew that some preferred to drop and then be dragged to their destination, bumps along the road be damned. But they also knew that, should anyone attempt to help him, it would only lead to having to join him running, and knew that no act of solidarity would get them out of their punishment. They had all been well-trained in accepting their roles as workers for those with higher status of living than them. After 13 years of being a servant, Emma knew better. Vortell was also a slimy bastard, so she felt no sympathy for the man. He made lewd comments and made advances towards other women, which often led to Emma interfering and clocking him until he retreated.

It had also meant that she'd been in the outhouse quite a number of times, but it had been worth it to get him to back off.

None of them were given the luxury of jackets, only being allowed 4 pairs of clothing, so they were all huddled together, trying not to freeze as the cool air nipped at them. In the horizon, Emma could see what would become her new home for the next year.

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><p>Regina rolled her eyes as she heard someone knock on her door. "Enter," she coolly commanded.<p>

Sidney Glass, her castle's Steward, entered with a brusque bow.

"What is it?" she asked, glaring at the man.

He kept his head high but did not meet her gaze. Despite the many years in her service, he knew about etiquette in front of his Queen. "Your Majesty, I have taken the liberty of hiring one more servant; perhaps you'd reconsider my offer of once more having a handmaiden?"

The royal sighed. Of course he would be persistent. She had terrified some scullery maids who had been tasked of serving her food and cleaning her room. Ever since Brunhilde had died, she hadn't found anyone who did everything she asked of properly. They'd always mess up here and there, and she was not someone to take mistakes lightly, no matter how accidental. She did not gain the moniker of Evil Queen by being merciful. "Very well. Send her here when she arrives."

"Yes your Majesty, of course." Sidney bowed out and left, knowing that in a couple of hours his new servants would be arriving.

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><p>Once they passed by the gate, they entered the stables and finally got a reprieve from the rain. It had begun drizzling over an hour ago, and they were all soaked, on top of being frozen.<p>

"Alright, everyone get up and form a line," one guard barked at them. "And leave your bags. They'll be inspected and returned to you tomorrow once you have your assignments."

They silently did as they were told, and after they were escorted out of the stables and towards the castle, they were quickly marshalled into some dingy cells. They had been travelling for an entire day, and from what Emma saw, it was already evening. They were given some bowls with stale porridge, and then told that tomorrow, they would be given their assignments.

Emma fell into an easy slumber in her hard cot, joints stiff from having been jostled around so much in the cart.

Next thing she knew, she was sopping wet and freezing as a bucket of ice water was poured on her.

"Come on lass! We don't have all day," a gruff voice demanded. "Out of your rooms and on your knees, in positions before the Steward arrives."

Calling these cells rooms were a stretch, from Emma's vantage point, but she silently shuffled as she followed orders.

She was still in yesterday's clothes, and really felt the chill as she got into position beside her fellow workers. The kneeling position was one of 3 standard positions that all servants were taught to adhere to while in service.

It was fairly simple. Left knee on the ground, right foot planted well. Left fist on the ground, knuckles facing forward in front of their left knee, while their right fist rested over their heart. Head was bowed, and once a command or order was issued, the servant was to thump their right hand over their heart once to signal that they had understood.

The door opened and in walked a man that, just from the boots he wore, demonstrated he was a man of stature. This must be the Steward.

"Good morning, I am the Dark Castle's Steward and Chamberlain, Sidney Glass. I, along with my Usher, Killian Jones, whom you have already met, will be your masters for the next year. You are to refer to us always as Sir, or Sir Glass and Sir Jones, respectively. We've been told good things from the servants who come from Silas, so I expect I won't have any trouble with you lot, but just in case, a reminder:

"You are here to serve, nothing more. You will be given assignments and report directly to your superiors. You are always to follow their explicit instructions to the letter, or suffer the consequences. Should some parameter or order not be clear, you are to fall back on your training, and the Castle's rules. We have a clear chain of command and you are to adhere to your place, never straying. You are to speak only when spoken to, and you are never to look any one of your superiors, or anyone above your station in the eye. You are to follow all orders, despite any personal opinions or apprehensions you may have. Whenever the Queen is about to enter a room, two guards at the doorway will thump their staffs, like so," - near the door, the one guard on duty thumped their staff twice on the ground - "and when you hear that, you are to get on your knees as you are now, until you hear the same sound again, wherein you will be allowed to get back up and return to your duties.

"As you are all new, the first week will be a trial period. You will be sleeping here until we deem you are satisfactory in your tasks, and are allowed to remain at the Castle. When that happens, you will be given a bed in the servant's communal area. Should you be chosen to remain here after the year is up, a room will be granted to you. As part of your employment, all of you will be fitted with leather bracers on your arms, one displaying the Castle's Royal Crest, thereby demonstrating your employment here, and another for your superiors to summon you should they need you. So stand up and hold your right arm out."

They all stood up and held their right arms out, fists clenched, palms up. Jones came around and attached one bracer, the leather magically snapping shut. Once he was done, Emma quickly glanced at the front of the bracer. It had a beautiful carving of the Dark Kingdom seal.

Now, your other bracers shall be given to you depending on your employment. So let's get to it. Ladies, in my hand I have a shorter straw, which will be used to determine which one of you will get a special assignment, so step forward, and take a pick."

Emma took a step forward and her eyes quickly flitted to the Steward's hand, and as she reached out, she hoped she wouldn't get the shorter stick. Special assignments usually meant that it was a complicated chore, more chances of screwing up and making a mess, which meant getting into trouble. She always preferred a simple task, remaining in the background until her service was over.

Once all 3 straws were taken, Glass demanded, "Open your palms and show us your straw."

Jones quickly inspected each of the women's straws, and then came to stand in front of Emma. Well shit. "This lass here seems to have the shorter stick. She's the lucky one."

This was going to be a long year.

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><p>After Jones had taken the 5 other workers out to their new jobs, Emma was left with Glass. She was in rest position, hands clasped in front of her by her pelvis, arms now covered with both bracers. Now her shirt's length wasn't so bad, the bracers provided some warmth where the shirt didn't. They had been given their rucksacks, and Emma had quickly taken possession of hers, noting from the weight that it seemed the guards were not so greedy that they pocketed anything of value.<p>

"So, your assignment. You are going to be the Queen's handmaiden. She is strict, and she is demanding, as Queens are wont to be." Were Emma not so trained, she would be gaping at how impertinent Sir Glass was. But it wasn't her place to comment on that, so she just kept staring down. "You are to cater to her every whim, and be prepared. The last three girls were let go within an inch of their lives. Now let's go, her Majesty does not like to be kept waiting."

Silently they made their way through the castle. Emma began taking stock of all the routes and passages. Every now and then her guide would point out important places for her to keep in mind, such as the kitchens. They went up some staircases, and then crossed a long corridor, until reaching a doorway flanked by two guards.

Glass knocked on the door and was greeted by a cool, "Enter."

The two entered the room, and as soon as Sidney stopped in the middle of the room, she kneeled in position.

"Is this my new handmaiden?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Sidney nodded.

The Queen's tone was cool as she responded, "Good, I was getting impatient waiting. I have plenty of things to do. Now, servant, I will give you one hour to put your belongings away in your room off to the side here, and then before I return for lunch time, I want this room spotless and clean, am I clear?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Emma responded. Her brain was working overtime as it tried to decipher why the Queen would be giving her her own room. But she wouldn't question it, she took the little favours as they came.

Sidney however, found fault in the Queen's command. "Your Majesty, I must have misunderstood. You want the servant to reside _in_ your chambers?"

The Queen was not happy with the questioning of her orders. "Yes. I have a servant's quarters here, and the last 3 girls were absolutely impossible to deal with, and they resided in their quarters all the way on the other side of the castle. By the time they reached here with my breakfast, it was cold. Now, I have a meeting to attend to."

Once both the Queen and the Steward had left, Emma finally stood up and released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Time to get started.

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><p><strong>So! A first chapterteaser for everyone.**

**I'd love to know your thoughts on it so far!**

**Would anyone be interested in a breakdown of what roles are meant to be what?**

**Also, this castle isn't meant to be like Regina's castle on the show, so I wouldn't use it as a base.**

**Next chapter will hopefully be up soon. In terms of other fics I'll be updating, Welcome to Storybrooke is next, and then In Sickness and in Health!**


	2. A Tour of the Castle

**Hello once again!**

**I'm sorry to have taken a while with an update, but wow am I floored with the enthusiasm so far!**

**So let's get things going, shall we?**

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><p>Emma diligently did as she was tasked, putting her stuff away in her room before setting out to clean the Queen's chambers. Her room was decent, as far as they went. A room for herself that, while it wasn't too big, it held an average sized bed - one where her feet wouldn't be dangling off, as she had the unfortunate luck of experiencing that one time - it had a window, as well as a beside table - much sturdier than the ones with Silas - and a dresser for her clothes.<p>

Once she got to work, she realized that she hadn't been given anything to help her task of cleaning. Thankfully, Emma owned a handy rag with which to clean. So she got to work, ridding the furniture of dust, and polishing the surfaces of objects scattered around. She made sure to be thorough, knowing that her performance now would determine if she would stay in this charge. Thinking more on it, working as the Queen's handmaiden wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. She got her own room, and her tasks seemed pretty straight forward, at least thus far.

Noon came and went by, and Emma was nearly done. It seemed that the Queen wasn't expecting to eat lunch promptly on time, of which Emma made a mental note, knowing that she would probably have to keep it in mind should she want to prevent the Queen's food from getting cold. As soon as she was done, Emma did a final check with a practised eye, making sure she hadn't missed anything. Finding everything to be up to her standards, she went to stand by the door, hands clasped in front of her, and waited.

She didn't have to wait long, the door opening near her with a slam, the Queen striding forward into the room with a regal air. She was alone this time, and Emma took care to close the door after the Queen was inside, and then dropped to her knees, awaiting the verdict on her task, sneaking glances upwards to see what the Queen was doing.

"It seems like you have done a decent enough job," the Queen remarked, striding over to her bookcase and picking up an object and running her pointer finger over the polished wood surface. "Now, go fetch me my lunch and then I will give you a more detailed itinerary of what your job will consist of."

Emma thumped her chest once, and quickly went to follow orders.

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><p>The kitchen was bustling with excitement as Emma entered. There were kitchen maids and scullions running around, carrying ingredients to and fro, tending the fires, and stirring pots. She saw a table near the entrance, and figured that would be as good a place as any to get food.<p>

After a few seconds of waiting, someone approached her. "You must be one of the new workers huh? What can I do for you? The mess is to your right."

"Lunch for her Majesty," Emma simply responded, eyes glued to the ground.

"Hey," Emma looked up when felt that the woman she was speaking with gently put her hand on her shoulder, "you don't have to be such a stickler for rules here. Glass and Jones don't come to the kitchens often, and we won't rat you out."

Emma flashed her a grateful smile. "Sorry, my last placement had this really uptight kitchen staff, so the habit stuck."

"Not a problem. We're much more lenient here." The woman excused herself for a moment and went to speak to an elderly woman - who Emma assumed must be the cook, and relayed her order. Once the brunette woman came back, she introduced herself, cleaning her hands on the white apron by her skirt before holding her right hand out to shake. "I'm Red, Head Kitchen Maid, you are?"

"Emma Swan, handmaiden to the Queen," she responded, taking the hand in her own and giving a firm shake before they let go.

Red's eyes widened. "Ooh, you're the new sacrifice."

Emma could hardly stop the flinch that overtook her face as she heard that. "Am I that screwed?"

The brunette made a 'kind of' gesture with her hand. "The last few scullery maids were a disaster, so I wouldn't be banking or hoping on a long-term employment."

"Kinda gave up on that a long time ago. My luck thus far hasn't landed me anything past the contractual year, so I just go with things until I'm sent back."

Red gave her a compassionate smile. The cook that she had been speaking to earlier barked at her, and Red once again excused herself as she went to pick up Emma's order. Once she came back, she held out the tray with a steaming plate of hearty food and said, "If you have any free time later, I can show you around if you want?"

Emma nodded, flashing a grateful smile as she grabbed the tray. "That'd be great."

"Oh hey, have you eaten yet?" When Emma shook her head, Red said, "Well then you'll probably be excused soon enough and you can grab something and we'll talk, yeah?"

"Sounds good, thanks Red."

"Glad to help!"

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><p>Emma quickly made her way back to the Queen's chambers, and wasn't reprimanded for her time, so she must've been expecting the time it took. Technically Emma didn't dawdle, she was waiting for the food and chatted in the meanwhile. After depositing the tray by the table the Queen was sitting at, Emma stood to the side with her hands clasped.<p>

The Queen spoke. "Go eat lunch, but make it quick. Once you return, and I am finished, I wish to define your schedule."

Dutifully, Emma thumped her chest in understanding, and left. She quickly ate lunch in the mess hall, waving at Red when she arrived and left, mindful that the other woman was busy cooking and probably wasn't up to chit chat. Keeping her pace efficient, she headed back towards the Queen's chambers, kneeling once she arrived and closed the door behind her.

"Good, you're back. First things first, you needn't kneel every time you come in. You may listen to orders and wait standing while in this room," the Queen stated, sitting in a plush armchair. Emma took this to mean she could stand, and did so, eyes trained to the ground, left hand by her side, right fisted over her heart, to show she was listening.

"Now, this is a demanding assignment, and I don't like repeating myself, so listen closely. I enjoy my breakfast at 8am precisely, so plan accordingly. Once you have breakfast delivered, you are to knock on my door and then you may leave to have your own breakfast. Lunch, like today showed you, is unpredictable, so you will wait until I return to fetch it, and you may eat lunch in the meanwhile. I eat dinner at 7 in the evening, so have it ready for me by then. During the morning, I expect you to keep my room tidy and clean. The afternoon is to be decided on a day-to-day basis. Like every other servant in this household, you are allowed to do as you please in the weekend, however: I still expect to receive my meals on those days, so keep an eye out on the time.

"If ever I require your services, I shall call for you via your manacle like this." Emma felt a slight pressure in her left wrist, as if a hand was clasping her wrist to call her attention. The gesture didn't feel aggressive or painful, for which Emma was thankful. She thumped her fist over her heart once to show she understood. "Good. You are dismissed for the afternoon. Further on I will have you accompany me on errands, but today, I wish for you to get acquainted with the castle, so off you go."

Emma thumped her chest again before taking her leave, heading back to the kitchen to meet with Red.

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><p>Her new friend turned out being a great tour guide.<p>

"And here is the Great Hall, we have all sorts of events here, like diplomatic events and fancy dinners. You usually find out about events loads of time in advance and get assigned special duties at that day, so be on the lookout."

Next up was the Throne Room, an intimidating place. "This is where the Queen conducts her day-to-day business with the kingdom. Court is usually held in the afternoons, so we best not dawdle. Oh, and the Queen never enters through these doors, but rather from the door right there" - she pointed to a door off to the left of the imposing throne on the dais - "for security purposes and all that."

She was shown the servants' quarters, as well as the expansive grounds. She got a glimpse of the Place of Arms, where the guards and soldiers were training in the afternoon sun.

"Is everyone...happy here?" Emma asked at one moment, seeing that the castle seemed so lively. They all greeted Red with enthusiasm, and Emma as well.

Red nodded. "For the most part." Seeing Emma's face, she was quick to add, "It's nothing to do with the Queen, despite the rumours and stories. She's a good leader, and a fair mistress of the castle. But Glass...he's not so fair. Especially regarding retirement and freedom."

Working as a servant was a complicated business. A servant's freedom was granted one of two ways. The first was paying their Master, should they have sufficient funds to pay for their freedom. To free herself from Silas, Emma would have to pay 20,000 gold coins. Considering that a servant's yearly stipend while in Silas' employment was 1,000 gold coins - should she do a good job - she'd need to work 20 years to have enough. But that was in an ideal world which didn't account for buying clothes and hygiene supplies, as well as other ventures - all of that was bought with the servant's own money.

The other method was much more complicated. Should she be lucky enough to be kept in her employment after a year was up, Emma would be freed from her ownership to Silas, and become part of the castle staff for the foreseeable future, until she met the demands of the Chamberlain and could be free. "What're the demands?"

"5 years of additional employment" - that part didn't sound too bad for Emma - "Plus 20,000 gold coins to pay Glass. But that's not all. You must also have at least 10,000 in your coin purse, as an insurance that you won't leave empty-handed."

Emma made a face of disgust. She knew that that final caveat wasn't out of care for servants, but another bump in the road to prevent them from leaving. No one could expect to have so much money in 5 years.

"Are you looking to leave as soon as you can?" Red asked, wondering about Emma's curiosity on the matter.

Emma shook her head. "Nah, just curious. Got nothing out there for me. At least here I'm doing something."

They continued walking, and they met more inhabitants of the castle. Jiminy Cricket - who insisted he be called Archie - was the Porter, and seemed like a nice enough man, with a soft smile. They had passed plenty of maidens cleaning; Emma had seen Aurora West, one of the girls that came with her, sweeping the floor at one point. They shared a small wave and a smile, before Emma and Red continued walking.

Outside she saw Mulan vigorously attacking a shrub with some clippers, and decided to not attempt to converse with the angry woman. She really didn't look happy with her placement, something that she could sympathize with.

"Oh I nearly forgot!" Red exclaimed as they made their way to the library, the last stop. She had stopped walking, and her hand had reached out to clasp Emma by the arm.

Emma turned to her, waiting in anticipation. "There's going to be a ball at the end of the month! It's for the Autumnal Equinox!"

"'We' as in we the servants get to _participate_?" Emma asked, incredulous. Servants were never deemed worthy of taking part in such a prestigious type of event.

Red nodded vigorously. "Yes! It's a yearly tradition. For one day every year, we hold a masquerade ball. Well, it's more like an evening, but it's a big event. It's the one time of the year that there are no station barriers or anything like that. Everyone is an equal there. Do you have any dresses?"

"Somewhat. I only have the standard clothes: winter and summer work clothes, sleepwear, and a kitchen service dress. Silas wasn't really one for fancy clothes, plus we never had a use for them."

With a wide wolf-like grin, Red linked her arm around Emma and started moving them forward again. "Well worry not, this weekend, we will find you some adequate clothes."

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><p>The rest of the week went by without a hitch. Emma made sure to follow her orders given by the Queen, getting her food to her on time, and cleaned the room. She had acquired a broom, a mop and a bucket from the supply closet which she kept in her room for convenience. Otherwise she stayed out of the way, quietly taking care to not do anything which might get her into trouble. When Saturday arrived, Emma woke up with her makeshift wake-up call. She had fiddled with the shutters so that one slat would remain perennially open, and when the sun shone through it, it would wake her up, most of the time without fail. The only worry was what might happen on a stormy or cloudy day, but she had yet to experience any to test out her method.<p>

She bolted out of bed, got dressed, and made her way to grab breakfast for the Queen. The kitchen staff was already awake and busy. She convened quickly with Red to see if they were still on to head into town to buy her dress clothes.

The head cook, a brusque lady by the name of Granny - who was actually Red's Granny, but insisted everyone call her that as well, walked up to them with a tray in her hands. "Better deliver this on time girl, otherwise you won't be able to shop for _any_ clothes."

Emma looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly 8. Flashing a grateful smile at Granny, Emma took the tray and said, "Thanks." To Red, she said, "I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah, now go!"

A few hours later, Emma and Red were walking to the Castle's side entrance. It was the unofficial main entrance, with Archie's office there, and served as the entrance that everyone in the castle used, even the Queen, unless there was a public event where visibility was needed, wherein she would leave through the main gates, which were manned by the Castle's guards for protection. Otherwise, for safety reasons, the Queen used the less conspicuous entrance, and had no shame of using it.

"Hey Archie!" Emma greeted.

"Morning ladies, heading to town?" he asked.

Red nodded, and then jerked a thumb towards Emma. "Yep, going to get the new girl a dress for the ball."

Archie nodded in understanding. "Well have fun you two, don't get into trouble."

"We'll try our best, see you later!"

Together they walked to town a few miles away. Emma's belt was weighted down by the pouch of gold, and she listened to Red excitedly explain about the dress she had gotten. Then she started talking about Emma's clothes. "It's good that you arrived here a week earlier, that way next weekend we can pick up your clothes from the seamstress. Otherwise you'd be pressed for time, since we're not allowed to leave the castle if it's not the weekend. Any ideas what kind of dress you'd want?"

Emma thought about it for a second, and then said, "Actually, I was thinking of getting a suit, is that accepted?"

Red didn't miss a beat and waved it off easily. "Not a problem. Jasmine is a master at anything involving a needle and thread. Now come on, let's go!"

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><p><strong>Lots of things happening huh?<strong>

**Next chapters we'll see more interactions with Emma and Regina, for now, Emma has to look forward to a ball! I'm sure everyone will be able to tell where this is going, yeah?**

**Meanwhile, I'll be finishing Welcome to Storybrooke, and then updating In Sickness and In Health!**

**Let me know your thoughts about this chapter, and if anything was left unclear!**


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